Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Sally18]

Hello everyone,

I'm reaching out to this supportive community during a challenging time for my family. We're navigating a complex situation with our teenage daughter, who we believe is experiencing psychosis, characterised by persecutory delusions. She believes that we, her family, are persecuting her, which has led to significant distress and conflict.

We've noticed changes in her behaviour and mental state, including expressing fears of being harmed by us, which is far from the truth. She's also been involved in concerning online activities, posting content related to suicidal ideation and has shown violent tendencies in her writings. Her school performance is suffering, and her relationship with her siblings is strained, especially with her sister who feels ignored and neglected.

The school's involvement has been a double-edged sword, with a school counsellor whose methods have raised concerns about professionalism and effectiveness. Despite these challenges, we've sought to limit her access to social media to mitigate negative influences, but our efforts seem insufficient against the magnitude of her distress. The issue we have, is that people are believing her stories and advising her of how to get away from us, consequently her mental state is now (we think) well and truly in psychosis. We have an appointment for a psychiatric assessment but it isn't for months and she is refusing to come home, engaging the government to protect her from us. It's horrific!

Here's where I seek your guidance and shared experiences:

• How have you navigated similar situations where a teenager refuses help or doesn't recognise their need for psychiatric support? 
• What strategies have you found effective in communicating with and supporting a teenager experiencing psychosis?
• Can anyone recommend approaches for engaging a teenager in psychiatric care when they are resistant?
• How do you balance the mental health needs of one child with the well-being of the entire family?
• Any advice on dealing with schools and ensuring a supportive environment for a teenager dealing with these challenges?

Our ultimate goal is to ensure our daughter's safety and well-being, while also considering the impact on our family as a whole. Any insights, resources, or personal stories you can share would be incredibly valuable to us during this difficult time.

[tacocat]

Hi @Sally18 

Welcome to the forums, and thanks for sharing your story.

That's such a tricky and stressful situation to be in; and how frustrating to have to wait so long for an assessment that needs to happen now, not months away.

Have you tried engaging with mental health triage services, particularly the youth team in your area? I worked with young people experiencing early stages of psychosis a few years back, and found that you had to be quite persistent with phone calls to get things moving. The squeaky wheel method often yielded results quicker than waiting for the far-off assessment.

Headspace might be another good resource, especially when dealing with people using social media in risky situations.

Hopefully that helps a little.... 

[8ppleTree]

Hi @Sally18, 

That's a lot to navigate. I'm sorry to hear you and your family are going through this. I hope you are able to get some support for yourself as you go through this process with your family? It sounds like you have some difficult decisions to make as you try to find the balance between your family's care needs and their autonomy. 

Would your daughter be open to a sit down with you and talking through some of the issues, maybe bringing along a support person for her, so she can feel safe in the environment? It might be good to hear her out, without judgment or response, and see what is underlying it. You might be able to schedule a mediation style counselling session between you? You could ask someone to support you, too. ? Communication is an open door, at least..

As @tacocat mentioned, don't give up knocking on doors for supports. Really feel for you and your family! Wishing you all the best x 

[tyme]

Hey @Sally18 ,

I'm so sorry to hear what's happening for you and your teen. It sounds like a really challenging time.

Do you think she is safe at the moment? We encourage you to take her to the emergency department if there's any reason to believe she is not safe. 

It sounds like she is becoming acutely unwell and may need the support of a treating team around her. Have you taken to see a GP, psychiatrist etc? I recognise she doesn't want to get 'treatment'. Does "Let's see what the dr says? work?"

[Spirit_Healer]

Hello @Sally18 , welcome to the forums!

Sounds like you are in a difficult situation.

It would be advisable to take her to a GP or Emergency Department. You could also call the Psychiatric Triage service/CATT in your local area. She can get admitted for care as an involuntary patient, if your daughter presents a risk to herself or others. Safety is of paramount importance. I understand you're concerned that she is deteriorating - keep encouraging her to seek help.

With psychosis, it can difficult to challenge the person's delusions, as they can be so deeply ingrained in the person's thoughts. So don't try too hard to change these beliefs.

Hopefully she gets the help she needs soon. Wishing you all the best. Keep us updated if you can.